TENGA (ARUNACHAL): Amid a military standoff with China, India has formalized a course on Tibetan language and culture to “amalgamate its troops well with the people of Tibet.”
“We have started a course on Tibetan language and culture through an MoU signed between the Indian Army and Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies (CIHCS) and Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Sikkim,” said a senior Indian Army officer. “A pilot course was completed in March in which 15 Army officers along with JCOs participated. The second course with 20 volunteers will be held in November.”
CIHCS deputy director Kemo Padu said history, culture, philosophy, politics, demography and geopolitics will be the part of the six-week course vetted by the Army Training Command. The plan is to train one officer from every battalion posted in the forward areas and gradually develop proficiency among young and mid-level officers.
Explaining the aim of the course, another Army officer said it is aimed at making Indian soldiers understand the nuances of the culture and arm them with the language so that they can mix with the Tibetan population living on the Indian side of the LAC. This will wean the people away from the Chinese propaganda, he said. There are people of the same tribes living on both sides of the LAC